Closure-cap lock



June 1927' F. A. MCDONALD ET AL 1633218 CLOSURE CAP LOCK Filed Jan. 21,1926 gnmwiow fin/w, ,4. Mficnwu a U I film/Mayo 6. Wauns Z, Mam:

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

K A. MODONALD AND FERDINAND G. WELKE, OI FRANCISCO,

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Application and January a1, 1920. Serial Io. sum.

This invention relates to closure caps and vision of an efiicient andquickly operable lock fora closure cap.

Another object is the provision of means for attaching to a device ofthe charactermentioned, a grounding lead to discharge static electricityfrom a tank containing inflammable materialand from the closure capthereof.

With the foregoing objects in View, to gcther with such other objectsand advantages as may subsequently appear, this invention resides in theconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed,and illustrated in the accompanying,

drawings, 1n which r Figure 1 is a plan view of our device. Figure 2 isa cylindrical, longitudinal section of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an elevational view of a member employed in our device forholding one end to a wire which may be grounded to discharge staticelectricity from the'devioe.

Figure 5 is an elevational view of a split ring employed in our deviceand associated with a tubular member shown in cross section.

Figure 6 is a section taken on line 6-43 of .l lgllle 2.

Figure 7 is a central, longitudinal section of the tubular member shownin cross section within the split ring in Figure 5.

The device of our invention comprises a cylirnlrical, tubular body 9,having an internally threaded upper portion 10 and an externallythreadedreduced lower end portion 11, which is intended to be screwed to a tank.A screw cap 12 threadedly engages the upper portion 10 of the tubularbody 9. The screw cap 12 is'provided with o posin radial handles 13 forthe purpose 0 facilitating the placement and removal of the cap relativeto the tubular member 9. The screw cap 12 isprovided with a lateralaperture 15, shown in Figures 2 and 3.

A tubular member-16 is integral with the tubular member 9 and extendslaterally therefrom, the interior of the tubular mem- .inwar bedded inber 16 being continuous with an aperture formed in the side of thetubular member 9, this latter aperture being continuous with theaperture15 formed in the cap.

A bolt 18 is rovided in our device tolock the-cap 12 to e tubular member9 by pass- 'ingthrou'gh the aperture 15 in the cap and an opposingaperture inside of the tubular mem r 9.

The locking bolt 18 comprises a reduced inner end portion 19, anoutwardly tapering I portion 20, extending outwardly from the reducedportion 19. A fixed sleeve 22 is disposed within the tubular member." 16and encircles thelocking bolt 18. The sleeve 22 functions as anabutmentfor, one end of a coiled spring 23, the other end of whichpresses The coiled .spring thereby functions-to exert pressure on thelockin ly into osition for locking thecap 12 to the tubu ar member 9.The locking bolt 18 is prevented from rotating by. a pin 27 which passesthrough an aperture 28 formed in the bolt, and has its ends emthewallsof the tubular member 16.

The slot 28 has a greater length, lengthwise of the bolt, than thediameter'ofthe pin .27, allowing the bolt 18 to be retracted fromlocking position. Theouter end of the locking bolt 18 is externallthreaded. and threadedly engages a rotatab e, tubular member 29, shownin Figures 2 and 7. g I

The tubular member 29 extends outwardly beyond the tubular member 16,and its outer end portion is encircled by a rotatable member 30, havinga knob 31. The rotatable member 30 is secured to the tubular member 29 bmeansof a pin 32. A washer 33, which end of the tubular member 16.

A split ring 35, shown in Figures 2 and 5, abuts against the outer faceof thewasher 33. Each half of the split r' has an inwardly extending lug36, which rojects into one of two apertures 37 forme in the tubularmember29. The split ring 35 fits into and is secured a recess 40 formedin a ring 41 of a member 42, which has a-projection 43 extendingupwardly from the rin file member 42 encircles the tubular member 29,which asses through the aperture may be of brass, is afiixed the outer II against an annular shoulder 24 formed on the locking bolt 18. I

bolt, urging {it 45 in the mem r 42. electrical conductor 50 has one ofits ends soldered in the recess i While its other end is permanentlygrounded, as indicated at 51.

in the operation of the device, a turning of the knob 31 is effective tocause the locking bolt 18 to slide either into or out of lockingposit-ion.

It is intended that the electrical conductor 50 shall be permanentlygrounded at a bulk filling station, or in other Words at a station atwhich the tank is to be filled. The parts associated with the conductor50 also remain at the bulk filling station, and act as a key to unlockthe cap of the tank. The parts associated with the conductor 50 includemembers 30, 42, 35 and 29. When the tank is to be filled the partsassociated with the conductor 50 must be employed in order to unlock thecap of the tank and in employing them, the static electricity from thetank is discharged to the ground. It will, therefore, be readilyappreciated that our device compels a person to discharge staticelectricity from the tank before opening the cap at the fillingaperture. Such provision in our device eliminates the more or lessfrequent accidents which follow the discharge of electricity in thepresence of air and a fuel vapor, such for sample as gasoline.

ll hile we have described one embodiment of our invention, modificationsthereof may be readily devised without departing from the spirit of ourinvention, and it is to be understood that such modifications comeWithin the scope of the appended claims.

l-Ve claim 1. in a device of the character described, afirst tubularmember adapted to be attached to a container, a removable ea for closingthe openin in said first tu ular member, a second tubular memberextending from said first tubular member, a non-rotatable slidable boltin said second tubular member, said first tubular member and said capbeing adapted to receive an end portion, of said bolt, resilient meansnormally pressing said bolt into locking engagement with said cap andsaid first tubular member, said bolt being threaded, a key having athreaded end portion adapted to threadedly engage said bolt and having ashoulder adapted to abut against the end of said second tubular member,a ring rotatably encircling said key and held thereto and an electricalconductor secured to said ring at one end and grounded at its other end.

2. In a device of the character described, a first tubular memberadapted to be attached to a container, a removable ca for closing theopening in said first tu ular member, a second tubular member extendingfrom said first tubular member, a slidable bolt in said second tubularmember, said first tubular member and said cap being adapted to receivean end portion of said bolt, resilient means normally pressing said boltinto locking engagement with said cap and said first tubular member,said bolt having a transverse aperture therethru, a pin assing thru theaperture and of smaller (iameter than the aperture to permit the bolt toslide lengthwise in said second tubular member, said bolt being threadedexternally, a key having an internally threaded end portion forthreadedly engaging said bolt and having a shoulder adapted to abutagainst the end of said second tubular member, said shoulder comprisinga first ring secured to said key and a second ring held by said firstring to said key, said second ring being adapted to have a groundingconductor secured thereto.

FRANK A. MCDONALD. FERDINAND G. WELKE.

